


Sardonic Smirks and Painted Lips

by AshleyHimura



Category: Daria (Cartoon)
Genre: College, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Post-Canon, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-17
Updated: 2017-01-18
Packaged: 2018-05-27 06:14:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6273019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshleyHimura/pseuds/AshleyHimura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The irregularity with which they've been able to see each other starts to really worry Jane and Daria, so in the summer before Daria's Sophomore Year they decide to move in together to alleviate the burden. Little do they know that this is sparked by deep-seated emotions that cohabitation will force them to confront. What will become of the two cynical young women's relationship amidst the tides of budding desire? </p><p>Rated Mature for possible future content.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Absence's Outcomes

**Author's Note:**

> I claim no rights to Daria, and make no profit whatsoever by publishing this work of Fanfiction.
> 
> I stumbled across Daria for the first time late one night on Logo. It's animated and that usually piques my interest, so I put down my sketchbook to watch. I was hooked after two episodes. Long before I knew much about them I saw Daria and Jane as an obvious and well-matched couple. After devouring the whole series I knew I had to write for this pairing, especially because there seems to be depressingly little of it compared to what I had hoped to find. This is the first of many possible love stories that could unfold between the two snarky girls from Lawndale High.

 

 

Daria hauled her final box upstairs. It was filled entirely with books, unsurprisingly. Her favorite literary classics and other titles that piqued her interest, cradled in secondhand cardboard. Hefting it over the final step and down the hall into her room, she let it drop onto the other half of her book collection and slumped into her office chair.

 

“Ugh. A room on the top floor: status symbol or spiteful curse?” she questioned of the empty air.

 

“Well, this is about the last of it. You're all moved in, amiga,” Jane informed as she walked through the door carrying Daria's bedsheets. “You don't have to look so happy about it, though.”

 

“Jane, I'm supposed to be a brain, remember? I'm supposed to read, and write, know things that would keep Kevin and Brittany scratching their heads for years. I'm not cut out to be a beast of burden.” Jane nodded to her comment and tossed the bedding up onto the top bunk.

 

“Cheer up. I just claimed the top bunk for you.” Jane walked over to lean against the bed frame next to Daria.

 

“I hope my roommate didn't want it.”

 

“Hey,” Jane shrugged. “This is what they get for being late.”

 

“Speaking of late,” Daria wondered, “Where's my pillow?”

 

“Ugh. Well, I hope you're happy now, Daria. You've completely exhausted me,” said Quinn from the doorway, accusatory. “Stacy and I are never going to get all our shopping done with me lagging behind.” She threw the pillow down on the floor, aggravated at being roped into helping her sister move.

 

“I hope you remembered to lift with your legs, not your back. That pillow could really mess you up,” Daria responded.

 

“Yeah. You better sit down,” concurred Jane sarcastically.

 

“You know what? I think I'll do that.” Quinn pulled out the unoccupied office chair sank into it, apparently spent. “Whew.”

 

Helen and Jake joined the three girls seconds later.

 

“Well, it's nice and cozy, don't you think Daria?” Helen suggested. “I'm sure you'll be very comfortable here.”

 

“Nothing says 'comfort' like painted, cinder block walls,” she replied.

 

“Well I think it's great, kiddo. Much nicer than you would have had at that military school you were thinking of attending,” Jake said matter-of-factly. Everyone else in the room sighed. Though her father may have continued to mention it, Daria had not once felt the slightest desire to enroll in a military academy.

 

“Maybe it's time we get home. I have some files to go through and it'll be dark by the time we get back to Lawndale.” Helen motioned to Quinn who heaved a weighty sigh and with what appeared to be great effort stood from the chair.

 

“Bye Daria. I'll see you at home around Christmas time,” Quinn said with a wave.

 

“Go get 'em, kiddo. Best of luck!”

 

“Daria,” Helen addressed her, last to walk out. “If you need anything, just call. That's what that cell phone is for, after all.”

 

“Sure thing, mom. Bye.”

 

“Goodbye, sweetheart.”

 

Only Jane remained with Daria in her new room, still leaning against the same bedpost. She was about to say something when there was an abrupt gurgling sound.

 

“Hungry?” Jane guessed.

 

“Gee, how could you tell?”

 

“Best friend's intuition. Boston must have some good pizza places nearby, right?”

 

“Probably,” Daria said. “But this is a brand new town, with new possibilities. Are you sure you want to go straight to pizza?”

 

“Eh. Why mess with a good formula?”

 

“Fair point. Let's go.”

 

* * *

 

 

The first place didn't suit their vibe. The second one looked like food poisoning waiting to happen. Finally the third resembled Pizza King enough that they felt confident enough to go in. It was a brick interior, but almost the same layout. The walls however had neon signs advertising various kinds of booze, almost like a bar. Televisions hung in certain spots but were currently powered down.

 

“I'm just saying, why is it always threes?” Jane queried.

 

“How should I know? Maybe there's some cosmic significance in the number that we as humans can only guess at,” theorized Daria.

 

“Did you just indirectly hint that someone might exist who would know better than humans, Morgendorffer?” Jane quirked an eyebrow at her friend.

 

“Yes, but only as a distraction so you'd let me pick the table.”

 

“Oooghh. Well played.”

 

“Here. This looks nice,” Daria opined.

 

“Huh. Booth, no window, just off of being across from the door. So, roughly analogous to our old spot at Pizza King?”

 

“You know me so well,” Daria confirmed, a small smile playing at her lips.

 

“Well,” Jane began, sitting down, “what should we get?”

 

Daria was going to respond when she was interrupted by the waitress, a girl with piercings on nearly every place one could get them and hair dyed royal blue.

 

“Welcome to Sapphron Pizza. What can I get for you?”

 

“We'll have an extra large pepperoni and two colas,” responded Daria, menu unopened on the table.

 

“We only serve soda in pitchers, so I'll just put you down for one of those.” The waitress jotted down their order. “I'll be back when your order is ready.” And with that the waitress left.

 

“So Daria, you're going to be starting school next week while I get a whole semester of freedom,” Jane observed. Rather than boasting, Jane's tone turn a serious turn. “You know, it's going to be weird not seeing you every day.”

 

“I do know. I got used to having you there all the time. Call it an oversight, but life without my daily dose of Jane Lane isn't something I've given a whole lot of thought to until now.” Daria looked down, suddenly sullen.

 

“Don't worry. We'll manage somehow. We can email, and I can drive out every now and again to see you. You can't shake me that easily,” Jane assured her, attempting to assuage her best friend's concerns. And Daria understood that Jane was trying to ease her anxiety over their issue, but she began to wonder: _Just how will I manage?_

 

* * *

 

 

After pizza and a walk back to the parking lot it was time for Jane to make the journey back to Lawndale. The late summer air was slightly chilly, and both girls had to pull their jackets tighter about them. Upon reaching the car Jane had borrowed from Trent, Daria began to feel nervous. It was as if once Jane left they would never see each other again. She told herself she was being ridiculous and needy, but it did nothing to calm her nerves.

 

“I'm glad that I drove separately so I could stay,” Jane commented.

 

“Going to miss me that much?”

 

“Nah. Wanted to scout for a new regular pizza spot. Don't flatter yourself Morgendorffer,” Jane playfully chided, a smirk across her red lips telling Daria just how little Jane had meant it. Daria smiled in return and stood back as Jane opened the door. “Well, see you later, amiga.”

 

Daria stood in that lot, leftover pizza in hand, and watched until long after the car disappeared from view. She felt cold, and it had nothing to do with the surrounding air. Her best friend had left, and now she was alone. Despite the cell phone in her pocket she felt isolated from the person she cared most for. But nothing she did could move Jane to Boston any faster. Deciding better of moping in a dark and potentially dangerous parking lot, she elected to return to her room for the evening, hoping that a night of writing might take her mind off of her loneliness, at least for a little while. _I was friendless before,_ she reminded herself, _so I can certainly deal with one semester. Still, it's going to be a long one._

 


	2. The Solution to Our Separation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's nearing the end of summer. Daria and Jane worry about their inability to hang out during school, and also explore memories long since filed away.

 

 

“I don't want to move back into that dorm.”

 

Jane froze as she pulled a slice of pizza from the whole, cheese still in mid-drip. They were at Pizza King back in Lawndale for the summer. It was an early August day with humidity of stupendous proportions. Even still, both girls wore their typical attire, seemingly unaffected by the weather.

 

“Say again, Morgendorffer?”

 

“You heard me,” Daria continued. “I don't want to drag all of my things back to Boston just to move into that same room with a perfect stranger. Besides, any place that requires me to request a permission form before I can have non-Raft guest is no place for me.”

 

“Admittedly, it was difficult to hang out. I was forced to...” Jane shuddered, “get to know new people.”

 

“And that's just inhumane,” Daria deadpanned.

 

“On the bright side, we did find our regular pizza place in Sapphron. Luciel is pretty cool, don't you think?” Jane had really taken a shine to the waitress that usually served them. Often when the restaurant was quiet she would stop to chat with Jane and Daria. She wasn't a friend precisely, but she was an acquaintance they didn't mind so much.

 

“Yeah, I guess. She doesn't make me want to throw heavy objects nearly as much as most of my classmates. Still, that doesn't mean I want a repeat of last semester. I can count on my fingers how many times we hung out,” her bespectacled friend lamented.

 

“Well how do you suggest we remedy that, then?” Jane questioned. Daria opened her mouth, like she intended to say something, but closed it and cast her gaze down to the pizza. Jane watched her friend, wondering what was on her mind. It looked like Daria was unsure, or maybe didn't see fit yet to let Jane in on what she was thinking, which bothered the young artist. But if her best friend in the world wasn't willing to share, she'd respect that.

 

“I don't know yet,” Daria said finally.

 

“Well, let's think on it. We're two intelligent young girls, aren't we?”

 

“The diploma we both got a year ago would seem to suggest so.”

 

“Although that diploma _does_ say Lawndale High on it...” Jane commented, her eyebrow quirking at the mention of their alma mater.

 

“Did somebody say 'Lawndale High?'!” The familiar voice belonged to a certain quarterback who came rushing up to their table. “Oh. Hey Daria, Jane.”

 

“Hello, Kevin. On break from pizza duties, are we?” Daria questioned.

 

“Huh? Nah, I already did that. I just heard someone say 'Lawndale High' and thought they might be talkin' football, so I thought I'd come on over since I'm the QB and all,” he responded.

 

“Still?” Daria's eyes behind her glasses betrayed her surprise.

 

“Yeah. I'm gonna be going back to school again this Fall, but the school says if I can keep up with my classes until Winter Break they'll look the wrong way and let me graduate so long as I don't tell anybody.”

 

“Uh, don't you mean the _other_ way, Kevin?” Jane corrected.

 

“What other way? Like if the team wins the championship?”

 

“Never mind. You just hit the books, ok big guy?” Jane punctuated her statement with a remarkably lackluster fist bump attempt.

 

“It's not nice to hit, Jane. Unless you're on the football field.”

 

“Kevin,” Daria began, “why don't you get Brittany to help you study? She got into college, so she can probably make sure you at least make it out of high school.” Kevin's face dropped at the mention of Brittany. Jane thought he looked like a child who'd been told he was allergic to his new puppy.

 

“I can't ask Babe...I mean Brittany to help. We...broke up. Like for reals this time.” He sniffled and tears sprung to his eyes, prepared to spill over onto his uniform apron. “She said that ever since she went away to college we'd started to grow separate.” Tears now staining his face, Kevin left with a short little 'bye' and disappeared into the kitchen.

 

“Wow. Sorry I asked. Really,” said Daria.

 

“Glad that didn't happen to us...” Jane thought aloud.

 

“What?” Jane looked up to see Daria was looking at her, puzzled and blushing.

 

“Nothing, nothing. Just...glad we go to college in the same town, you know?” Jane wondered what exactly this moment was. It was awkward for some reason and she wasn't exactly sure why. She could feel her own face heating up a little too. Instead of focusing on it, she opted for distraction. “Hey, we should probably eat that pizza before it cools into a disc of pure grease, right?” Nothing more was said on that topic, the pizza intake providing the perfect excuse to shift topics to something more casual.

 

* * *

 

 

 

The young artist in red drifted through the front door to Casa Lane and up the stairs to her room, the sound of her brother Trent's practice session bidding her a welcome home. Past her easel she flopped down on her bed and fiddled under the blankets for her television remote. Clicking on the device she was greeted with _Sick, Sad World_ reruns. It unfortunately was not mind numbing enough to make her forget the scene at Pizza King earlier. She had no idea what had spawned the awkward moment just after Kevin's disappearance. And the thing that Daria might have been about to say had her intensely curious. But seeing as she had no theories arising to explain any of it, she shut it out. Instead she hopped off her bed and worked on a painting for the rest of her night.

 

Morning brought shards of sunlight in from her window and Trent in from the door. He awakened his sister, gently shaking her by the shoulder.

 

“Janey. Wake up,” he said in his typically mellow voice. He sounded exhausted.

 

“Trent? What? What is it?” Begrudgingly, Jane opened her eyes to see her brother leaning over her. He looked just as exhausted as he sounded. “Why do you look like you got sucker punched in both eyes?”

 

“Mystik Spiral's practice ran late. Or ear--”

 

“Or early, yes. Happens all the time. But why did you have to wake me up for it this time?” she demanded, sitting up and trying in vain to push her bed head back into her usual style.

 

“I need you to drive me to a little motel twenty miles out. We have a gig another hundred away, but we don't wanna push The Tank to go that far in one day, so we're gonna do it in pieces. Everyone's waiting for me, but I had to come home to get stuff first.”

 

“But so early? It's 9:00,” she grumbled. Trent shrugged, eliciting a sigh from his little sister. “Alright. But you're buying me breakfast and coffee on the way out of town." Nodding to Jane's condition, Trent left the room to allow her to get ready. Dredging herself out of bed and into her clothes, Jane stopped before the mirror to do her hair and makeup. Finishing the look with her usual, red lipstick, she trudged downstairs.

 

The drive took a little longer than it should have. Just outside of Lawndale there was a three-car wreck, closing all but one lane. Jane turned to apologize to Trent but found him asleep in the passenger seat.

 

 _Look at him. Completely drained. At least he cares about his music, if not much else,_ Jane thought. _He is kind of a bum, though. I'm glad Daria's gotten over her little crush. They would have been so mismatched. What was I ever thinking, trying to set those two up?_ Something at the back of her mind told her she already had the answer. She'd done it mostly because she wanted to see Daria happy, but she'd be lying to herself if she didn't admit that part of the whole arrangement of pairing her with Trent would have allowed Jane to make sure that Daria would be around and connected to her for the foreseeable future. It would have assured her that her best friend wouldn't be going anywhere.

 

Trent began to snore loudly, knocking Jane out of her reverie. Grimacing, she silently wished for traffic to move faster. Waiting not-so-patiently for the blockage to clear, Jane wondered what Daria was doing tonight.

 

* * *

 

 

 

“So Trent's gone to some gig a ridiculous distance away. For two whole days?” Daria asked of Jane as she walked into the kitchen.

 

“Yup. And now we can commence with the wild, drunken house party,” she replied with a smirk.

 

“Let's just pretend for a moment that I felt the urge to invite an absurd amount of people to your house and get completely hammered. What about your mother?”

 

“Pottery retreat,” Jane explained. “Been gone for a week already.”

 

“Uh-huh. Well, I hate to break it to you Lane, but I'm going to veto your part idea.”

 

“Who gave _you_ executive decision-making power?”

 

“I've spent a lot of time here. I'm pretty sure that could be extrapolated into equal participation in planning our activities based on some kind of common law.”

 

“Right. So in lieu of my pulse-pounding, grind-dancing fantasy, what _will_ we be doing, Morgendorffer?”

 

“Delivery and _Sick, Sad World_ reruns?” Daria's suggestion wasn't really much different from what they had done every week in high school. Perhaps that's one reason why it so appealed to Jane at this moment.

 

“Sounds like a perfect night to me, amiga.”

 

Into the late, late hours, Daria and Jane watched television and movies in Jane's room. Jane had been painting a large portion of the time, though that didn't stop the conversation. When she finally stopped pushing paint about on the canvas she plopped down on the bed next to Daria. Minutes of silence elapsed between the two girls, until something occurred to Jane. She wanted to ask something that she had pondered off and on over the years they'd known each other.

 

“Say, Daria? I know you're over it—really, I can tell—but I've always wondered: what _exactly_ did you see in my brother?”

 

“What brought this up, Jane?”

 

“I blame that crappy romance we watched earlier when nothing else was on,” she lied. “Well, go on, out with it. What attracted you to my brother?”

 

“Mmm. Give me a second to think,” Daria requested of her friend.

 

“You need to _think_ about it, Daria?”

 

“Lay off, alright? I never stopped to break it down before. I got over Trent and then almost right away Tom came into our lives and we both know how that turned out.” Daria looked down, probing her memories for things that had made her like Trent to begin with. “I think initially there was something about the way he looks. I may have spent a lot of time with Tom, but that took a while. With Trent it was practically instant.”

 

“You like people who wear beat up clothes and style their facial hair?”

 

“No. I think I liked the piercings. And in retrospect, I think I have a thing for dark hair.” She thought for a minute longer. “You know, even if he comes off as kind of a slacker, there's something about him that gives him the aura of being a creative individual. I guess that appeals to me too.”

 

“You know amiga, what you're describing could be applied to hundreds of guys. How come you haven't dated any of them?”

 

“Hmm,” Daria hummed. “No interest I suppose. I feel like I need to know how someone's personality clicks with mine before I genuinely consider them dating material. That could be the reason that I never really went anywhere with Trent, no matter how much I liked the idea. He and I just don't blend well.”

 

“Huh.” Jane reclined onto her elbows so she could still see Daria and the TV. “A mystery solved after so many years of being in the dark.” The silence returned, television noise notwithstanding. Jane just sat back and soaked up the information Daria had relayed to her. Her processing though was interrupted by Daria yawning heavily. “Bedtime, isn't it?”

 

“Perhaps. Would you go get the--”

 

“Pillows and blankets for your night on the floor? You get ready, I'll grab the bedding,” Jane offered. It took her only two minutes to gather the material and return, finding Daria just slipping on her pajama bottoms. Since she was turned away, Jane waited for her to finish before announcing her presence by clearing her throat.

 

“Oh. Thanks, Jane.”

 

“Whatever, Morgendorffer. You're a real slave driver, you know that?”

 

“I'm up for an award soon. I'll be getting my gold-laced slave whip,” she boasted. “But of course what would a slave driver be without a slave to receive her whipping?” she finished, gesturing to Jane. The young artist meanwhile rolled her eyes and turned out the lights, the two having brushed and flossed hours ago.

 

“Yeah, yeah. Flattery will get you everywhere. Time for sleep.” The both of them slipped under their respective covers and settled in. For a few minutes it seemed that the night was over, but Daria broke the silence.

 

“Jane?”

 

“Yes, Daria?”

 

“I want to ask you something. Revenge for dragging out the details of my awkward crush on Trent.” Daria's tone sounded as even as ever, and though she couldn't see her friend's face through the darkness, Jane's intuition told her she wouldn't like where this was going.

 

“You want to know things about Tom and me,” she guessed.

 

“Huh-uh. Not _nearly_ awkward enough, especially considered I dated him too. No, I want to know about you and Alison,” she said.

 

“Eep!”

 

“Vengeance is sweet. So tell me about your interactions with her. I mean, surely she must have given you some signs that she wanted to be more than just your friend. How come you never noticed?”

 

“Ah...well...I'm still not sure, to be honest. Part of me wants to say that it would just have never occurred to me that a woman might be interested in me. But the other part wonders if maybe, on some level, I _did_ know. And that I just let it happen because...I was cool with it somewhere in my head?” Jane sighed. “Does that answer your question?”

 

“Mmm. Not really. But since you seem to have hit a dead end, maybe you can tell me about the rest of it. The little details you left out when you told me.”

 

“You kind of already know what the fallout was, but I'll go over it again. Basically, when she came onto me and I shut her down, she insisted that she was never wrong about finding girls of her kind. She accused me of not being ready to admit it. And it really shook me. I worried that she might be right, and that there might be a huge part of me that I'm suppressing.” Jane took a breath, and then continued. “It still floats in my head from time to time, but in a much less threatening way.”

 

“So you don't worry anymore? You're not afraid?” Daria wondered.

 

“Not in the least.”

 

“Wow. I think if it were me, I'd be a little upset about it to this day.” Daria fell silent for a few seconds. “What made you get over it?”

 

“Like you even have to ask,” Jane scoffs in friendly mockery.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Duh. It was you, silly,” Jane said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “When you told me at that gig that only I determined who I was it put my mind at ease. I decided that, if I were ever truly attracted to a woman, I would come to terms with it then. Until that happens, I won't worry about it.”

 

“...”

 

“You asleep down there, Morgendorffer?”

 

“Oh. Uh, I think I dozed off a second there. We should probably sleep.”

 

“Uh. Alright then. Goodnight, Daria.”

 

“Goodnight, Jane.”

 

Both friends ended the discussion at that. But when Jane awoke in the morning to find Daria somehow still asleep, she looked down at her sleeping amiga and heard the conversation echo in her head. Her brain was still fuzzy on everything else, but Daria's sleeping visage with her mussed brown hair and soft features serene in the midst of her rest brought the previous night back as clear as crystal. But it was still too early in the morning to wonder why. Instead she roused her best friend and they both slunk downstairs for coffee.

 

* * *

 

 

 

Jane picked up her brother from an agreed upon meeting point about halfway between Lawndale and the city where the gig was located. Somehow Trent's car made it all the way to the meetup before it needed to rest. Two hours later they could finally make their way home.

 

“Honestly, if you're so concerned about The Tank making it to gigs you should invest in getting it repaired.”

 

“But Janey, with what money?”

 

“You could write another jingle, you know,” she offered.

 

“You mean sell out again. I don't like it.”

 

“Well if not The Tank, then at least do something about your own car. This thing is going to die eventually, and it's going to leave whoever is driving it stranded. I'd just prefer that not to be me,” Jane grouched.

 

“I'll think about it. So, did you see Daria while I was gone?”

 

“Yeah. And we asked each other all kinds of awkward questions.”

 

“Oh yeah? Like what?” Trent's typical monotone made him seem uninterested in most things, but at least Jane knew when he genuinely had no interest.

 

“Well, I asked her about that puppy crush she used to have on you,” Jane replied, smirking.

 

“She's not still going through that, is she?”

 

“Nah. Completely over it.”

 

“Oh. Good.”

 

“And _then_ , to get back at me, she asked about my time at the art colony. Specifically, about Alison.”

 

“You mean the girl who came onto you and you didn't realize?” asked Trent, incident mostly forgotten the day after she told him.

 

“Uh-huh. She wanted to know why I wasn't still thinking about whether or not I was interested in women,” she went on.

 

“So why aren't you?”

 

“Because,” she stated. “I might be, but I won't have to worry about it until I find a girl like that.”

 

“Oh. That makes sense,” Trent responded. He seemed to feel like it was a logical answer to a somewhat illogical problem, and let it drop. When the lapse presented itself Jane took a detour into something more pressing.

 

“What I'm really worrying about though is this next semester. Last semester was my first at BFAC, and because of the dorm situation and being on separate campuses I hardly got to see Daria at all. I met some new people I don't totally hate spending time with, but Daria's...well...special, you know?”

 

Trent fixed her with a thoughtful stare before chiming in.

 

“So you're saying you want to see her every day like you did in high school?”

 

“Ideally, yes, if I can manage it.”

 

Another Trent stare.

 

“And she feels the same?”

 

“I think so. At least she said as much. But what do I do about it?” Jane sulked. “Not seeing her is driving me nuts.”

 

“Then make it happen, Janey.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“I can't give you the answer. But if being around Daria more often is what you need, then you need to find a way to make it happen.” Trent's sage advice fell on his sister with plenty of weight, but provided her with no real help in finding a concrete solution.

 

“Great. Cryptic suggestions coming from a guy whose lyrics tend to be upfront,” she griped. “Maybe you ought to switch the two up sometime and see how it plays.”

 

“Maybe I will, Janey. Maybe I will.”

 

Late that night Jane lie awake in bed, the Daria conundrum still on her mind. Trying to look at it from a schedule standpoint, she started to break down her and Daria's typical days at school as she understood them now. Wake up in the morning at home, breakfast and then out the door to class. Class lasts a good half the day for both of them, and Jane has to spend extra time working in the studio. Daria probably gets straight to her homework most days. Late evening they have dinner, possibly together but likely apart if they're both still working or are just too tired from the day. Sometime during that period they've both likely gone home, so once they stop working they both get ready for bed. Rinse, repeat.

 

 _No real openings,_ she thinks. _At least none that could ever be consistent. Our schedules just don't really overlap well enough. And since I'm an art student I'm kept extra busy. Even on a typical day we both end up tired, and going too far from campus would jeopardize what little sleep we get, so we just give up and go home--_

 

She sits bolt upright in bed, the lightning of inspiration and understanding having at last struck her. She has it. She knows exactly how she and Daria can get the best friend time that they need to stay as sane as they currently were. _Home._ They would sleep at and wake up in the same place, every day, and return to it every night. A never-ending sleepover.

 

Cohabitation. She would ask Daria to move in with her.

 


	3. A Room of Our Own

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daria and Jane look for an apartment in Boston with the help of Mrs. Morgendorffer. They also run across their acquaintance Luciel, along with some of her friends. And what could be causing Jane's bad mood?

Daria attempted to slip as quietly as possible through the front door to her home and up the stairs. Unfortunately for her, her mother Helen happened to be descending said stairs at exactly the same time.

 

“Hello, sweetheart. Did you have fun with Jane this evening?” the elder Morgendorffer inquired.

 

“Uh, yeah. Sure did,” Daria replied, dodging the question a little.

 

“You look like there's something else going on.” Apparently she hadn't dodged by quite enough to escape it.

 

“Mom. How would you feel if I said I didn't want to live the dorms this semester,” she began, slowing down only slightly when she saw her mother's face shift to confusion, “and instead, I said I wanted to move into an apartment with someone?”

 

“ _Whaaat?!_ ”

 

“Helen?” shouted Jake Morgendorffer from the couch. “What's going on?!”

 

“Daria wants to move into an apartment with someone!”

 

“An apartment?! But she's too _young_ to shack up!” Jake cried with horror.

 

“Would you feel better if I told you Jane was the one who asked me?” Daria asked dryly. There was a brief pause after her comment, like a deep breath, following which two relieved sighs blew out.

 

“Of course you meant Jane. I really should have seen this coming. I apologize, Daria. Your father and I immediately jumped to the conclusion that you were going to move in with some boy you were seeing,” Helen sucked in a large gust and promptly released it again.

 

“Relax, Mom. Jane's not a boy. Although before you feel too safe, I feel I should inform you that we're both shaving our heads and joining a doomsday cult.”

 

“Absolutely not! No daughter of mine is going to be worshiping some bearded nutcase!” Jake bellowed, now at the bottom of the stairs.

 

“It was a joke, Jake! Get a grip!” Helen lectured her husband.

 

“Oh, a joke! I see.” He took a deep breath and returned to his spot on the couch.

 

“Getting back to the point, did Jane have an apartment in mind when she asked you?”

 

“No. She said it just came to her, so she hadn't done any research yet. Besides, what if I'd said 'no?'” Daria said, looking off to the side.

 

“Would you have said no, Daria?” asked her mother.

 

Daria smiled that small, bemused smile she often had that seemed to just barely touch her lips.

 

“To Jane? No, never.” _Not even in the worst of our times together have I ever wanted to be any further from her._

 

“I thought as much. Well, how about I help you girls find a place, then? We'll look up some listings and drive out to Boston this weekend,” Helen offered.

 

“Sure. Thanks, Mom. Now if you'll excuse me...” Daria trailed off, twisting past her mother and entering her bedroom. She was about to flop onto her bed when she realized she needed to brush and floss. A crushing sigh and some aggravated hygienic practices later, she stripped out of her clothes and at last crashed upon her mattress.

 

Thirty minutes went past with her staring at the ceiling. Tonight was a night that her head couldn't seem to be switched off. Her thoughts kept drifting back to Jane. It's true that Jane proposed precisely the solution she herself had wanted to suggest. But now that it had happened, she wondered if maybe she hadn't shared the idea because she'd wanted to see if Jane would make that leap. It was like she'd been testing her. _But that's absurd,_ she reminded herself. _Jane can't read minds to my knowledge, so why would I expect her to know what I was thinking?_

 

* * *

 

 

 

“Well that was a bust,” Jane griped, opening the car door.

 

“It certainly was. I'm sorry it's taking so long to find you girls a place to live. It doesn't seem like there's really all that much out there within your price range,” Helen said, apologetic. “Add to that your location requirements and the list gets pretty short.”

 

“Not as short as my patience,” the young artist grumbled. She shuffled over a seat to allow her best friend to sit beside her in the back.

 

“I don't believe they sell patience extensions anywhere near here, Jane,” Daria remarked.

 

“Sure they do, Daria. It's called coffee,” countered Jane. “I didn't eat breakfast this morning.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Because you and your mother said I had to be ready to go by seven. I sacrificed it for more sleep.” As if to punctuate her statement, Jane's stomach rumbled audibly.

 

“Point taken. Mom, do you mind if we take a break for coffee and food before Jane gives into cannibalism?” Daria appealed. Jane merely scoffed, still grumpy over her stomach and her lost sleep.

 

“Well sure, why not? I could use some myself. But you'll have to hang on a little longer. From the look of traffic we're in for quite a drive.” Helen turned the car over and pulled out into traffic as Jane groaned loudly from beside Daria.

 

“Thanks Mrs. M.” Jane looked away and out her window, falling silent. Daria watched her, wondering what was on the other girl's mind. Jane rarely did the whole moody or thoughtful staring thing, so it was odd to see it happen over something as trivial as her morning cup of Joe.

 

Twenty minutes later the car had moved fewer than five blocks due to a traffic accident which forced an entire road to be closed off. Daria had taken to staring out her own window about ten minutes ago instead of trying to engage with Jane during her funky mood. She felt like she was about to nod off when Jane abruptly adjusted herself in her seat. She had already fallen asleep, and who knows how long ago it had happened. Her neck was craned at an odd angle as the girl snored, and Daria thought it looked horribly uncomfortable. A thought floated unbidden to her mind. _She could have just asked and I'd have let her crash on my shoulder or something._ It seemed like a reasonable enough idea, so why she felt herself blush at it she had no clue.

 

At just that moment her friend awoke from her awkward slumber, and the first thing she did was look in Daria's direction. Still pink and confused, the way Jane looked upon first waking caught her off guard, and Daria couldn't help locking onto those blue eyes. They lit up at her, and then Jane said something.

 

“Stop here!”

 

Daria jerked back, startled.

 

“Stop? What do you mean stop?” Helen asked.

 

“Can you park around here? I've heard of this place,” Jane said, pointing out Daria's window. Daria followed her finger and found they were nearing an establishment called _Violet's_. She realized it was a cafe and instantly felt wilted for whatever reason. Oh well. Coffee would perk her up.

 

* * *

 

 

Leaving Mrs. Morgendorffer outside to deal with an impromptu work call, the two collegiate women walked into _Violet's_. It was a bright place, lit with a great deal of natural light from the large windows. Wooden tables and chairs, a hardwood floor, couches near the back, and the vibrant ambiance set the cafe apart from many of the other caffeine dens in the city. Approaching the counter located at the rear wall, Daria noted that almost all of the customers already seated appeared to be women. She wasn't given much time to think on it however when the woman tending the counter greeted them.

 

“Good morning, ladies! Welcome to _Violet's_.” She appeared to be in her mid-to-late thirties, and had a royal purple streak in her sandy blonde hair. She wore a floral skirt and a very basic white blouse under her apron. “What can I get for you?”

 

“Uhm...dark roast coffee, black,” Jane began, and then turned to her friend. “Come on, Daria. I dragged us here, so I'll pay.”

 

“Er...the same, please,” she added.

 

“Alright. Anything to eat? We serve our pastries at the counter.” The woman gestured to the glass displays at her station. “And we cook our hot food to order,” she finished, jabbing a thumb behind her to the kitchen window. Through said window, Daria could see a woman of about the same age as the one at the counter. She was slightly shorter and had silky-looking black hair, pulled up and secured with a white flower accessory.

 

“Anything for you, Daria?” asked Jane.

 

“Just a blueberry muffin I guess,” she responded, shaken from her observation.

 

“And for me I think I'd like that extra bacon-y quiche thing,” Jane added, pointing to a menu board. “So I can pretend I'm too cool for average breakfast, like half of my classmates do.”

 

Daria rolled her eyes.

 

“Alright then,” responded the woman. “Take this number to your table with your coffee. Someone will bring your food out when it's done.”

 

Daria carried her muffin and coffee precariously, Jane beside her as they turned to find a table. They hadn't made it three steps when they spied a flash of blue opening the door, shaking off her umbrella over the rug.

 

“Jane, is it just me, or is that...?”

 

“Luciel. It's gotta be.”

 

Tying her umbrella closed, Luciel looked up and found them staring at her. She immediately broke into a jovial smile and walked over to them.

 

“Daria and Jane! What are you two doing here? I thought you went home for the summer.”

 

“We're on the run from the law for knocking over our town's Pizza King, so we figured we'd hide out here instead,” Daria said in her usual, joking monotone. Luciel merely tilted her head, puzzled.

 

“Basically we're getting an apartment and moving here,” Jane kindly explained. Hearing this, Luciel's eyes and face lit up again.

 

“Oh, I see! Taking the next step, huh? Good for you two!” she said, ecstatic.

 

“The next step toward what?” Daria asked. “A psychiatric break triggered by brutal, Ritalin-fueled all-nighters cramming for exams?”

 

“Not to mention the life of crime we'll have to lead to pay for our student loans,” appended Jane.

 

“Ah...uhm...no? I mean...aren't you two...?” Luciel stammered, playing with her forefingers.

 

“Aren't we what?” Jane demanded.

 

“...nothing. Just forget I said anything.” She cleared her throat before going on. “Well, if you don't mind, could I sit with you both? I'm just going to go and order quick,” she said, excusing herself.

 

The two girls turned on their heels to watch Luciel making her way to the counter.

 

“Hi Violet! What's the latest?” began the blue-haired woman.

 

“Oh, hey Luci. Nothing much, aside from our favorite market closing up. Lily doesn't know where she's going to get her comfort foods now,” responded the purple-streaked lady, now known to be the owner herself.

 

“Ugh. I know. I shop there too. I wish I could help, but you know that most Americans don't appreciate seafood-flavored snacks and fermented soy beans. But she can still buy the noodles at other places, right?”

 

“Yes, but who knows how long it takes them to stop carrying those,” Violet finished with a sigh. “But enough griping. You can hear all about it when I'm not working. Usual for you, hun?”

 

“Yes please.”

 

Violet went about making a latte of sorts and provided Luciel with a number along with her cup.

 

“It'll be right out to you. Talk to you later,” Violet said.

 

“Right. Email me!” Luciel called over her shoulder, falling in beside Daria as she did. “So, where do you want to sit?”

 

“Windows seem nice,” indicated Daria.

 

“Ok. How about there?” Pointing to an empty table next to the front windows, Luciel moved toward it, sitting on one side. Jane sat opposite her and patted the chair beside her own for Daria to sit in.

 

“So, Luciel, what's been going on since we left? Anything interesting?” Jane sipped her coffee, waiting for a response.

 

“Not really, no. I moved to a new, smaller apartment. Other than that I've just been slaving away at Sapphron.”

 

“But you got a cool, new haircut, right?” Daria pointed out, motioning the Luciel's head.

 

“Oh yeah, that. What do you think? I think the partially-shaved thing suits me, don't you?” she said, turning to show off the short patch on the side of her head. The bit that had grown back was blue also, indicating she'd just recently dyed it.

 

“It goes well with all the piercings,” Jane agreed.

 

“Though so,” Luciel smiled her usual, bright smile.

 

“Good morning to you ladies, Luciel,” said a sandy-blonde woman who was suddenly standing beside them. She was wearing a loose, flowing, lavender top and a black, pleated skirt. She held a serving tray in one hand with both Jane and Luciel's orders.

 

“Decided to be literal about things today, Lav?” Luciel snarked.

 

“Shut up. Violet bought this for me for my birthday last month, and I happen to enjoy wearing it,” replied the woman, clearly trying too hard to appear offended.

 

“I'm just saying--”

 

“I know what you're saying. But if you ask me it's the result of you not having anything else to do with that tongue of yours.”

 

Luciel blushed. Hard.

 

“Hence,” continued their guest, “I brought you food.”

 

“Right...Jane, Daria, this is Lavender. She's Violet's younger sister,” Luciel said, redirecting. Lavender waved casually to them. Upon closer inspection, she did bear a resemblance to Violet, though her hair was quite wavy in comparison.

 

“You should come around more often, Luci. Outside of work hours, I mean,” Lavender said. “Especially if you're going to bring new friends. We could always use more company.”

 

“Sure, but the way I hear, it you're hardly spending nights here anymore. I'm guessing you patched things up with Hualing?”

 

“Mind your own business, Luce...” Lavender retorted, blushing and looking at the floor.

 

“Says the woman who made a crack about me being single,” countered Luciel.

 

“I'm leaving before you embarrass me any more in front of your friends.” She turned, extending a hand to the other two. “Pleasure to meet you, ahm...”

 

“Daria,” said the green one, shaking the hand.

 

“Jane,” added the red, doing likewise.

 

“Daria, and Jane,” Lavender repeated. “Nice to meet you both. Please do come back, customer or otherwise.” With a small nod the older woman left the table.

 

Daria was a little stunned, feeling even more out of place than normal. Just as she was shaking it off, she saw Jane staring intently at Luciel with pursed lips. It took her longer than it should have to tear her eyes from that to notice Luciel returning Jane's intense look with a knowing smirk.

 

“Jane. Coffee. Drink,” Daria reminded her friend.

 

“Right.” Jane sipped her coffee, casting her gaze away from Luciel.

 

“Luciel, call me crazy—a stretch, I know—but you seem like you've been here before.” Daria also sipped from her cup, watching as her question freezes Luciel in the process of eating her soup.

 

“Yes, you could say I'm a regular here.”

 

“That doesn't really explain that little back-and-forth with Lavender, though,” Jane remarked in a pointed tone.

 

Luciel giggled before explaining.

 

“Well, gosh, girls. I _am_ a grad student. I've been here for over five years, now. Those women have known me through the thick and thin of it. If it weren't for them, I'm not sure I would have made it.” Luciel looked fondly back toward the counter where Violet and Lavender were talking while Lily was watching through the kitchen window. “Lily and Violet rent the place upstairs here. They've been letting Lavender live with them with pretty minimal rent while she pays off some medical bills.”

 

“You're really close to them, aren't you?” Daria noted.

 

“Yeah. They're all great.”

 

“Gotta love those names, though,” Jane quipped. “All flowers. It's almost too perfect that they'd run this place together.”

 

“Fate is crazy,” Luciel concurred with a flourish of her hand. “I'm sure you two have experienced similarly miraculous meetings, right?”

 

Daria's brain instantly went to Jane. It wasn't entirely surprising to her. She had already expressed how lucky she felt to have found someone else who was the same brand of misfit as she herself believed she was. She turned to look at her best friend, only to find that Jane was already looking back at her. Their gazes were locked for what felt like ages before they were interrupted by Luciel sipping soup off of her spoon, giving Daria the excuse to look away before her face burned too brightly. Instead she fixed her glare on Luciel, who merely gaped and shrugged.

 

“What? It's hot soup.”

 

“I'm sure it is,” Daria remarked sarcastically.

 

“Anyway, why don't you tell me about this apartment of yours? Is it somewhere around here?”

 

“Uhm. Yeah. We don't really have one yet...” Daria shifted her eyes toward Jane, who appeared to be withdrawn at the moment.

 

“Oh. I had thought that you'd already found one.” Luciel thoughtfully scratched her cheek with her forefinger. “I think I recall hearing a girl at Sapphron talking about an apartment with an open unit. It must have been sometime last week, I think. I didn't serve her, but I rang her bill up. Blonde girl, really cool jacket with a skull on it. I'd be willing to bet it's still available, and it's not too far from Raft.”

 

“Well, we're already out here. We might as well take a look at it. It's not as if any of the ones we've toured so far looked all that inviting, right Jane?” No answer. “Earth to Jane Lane.”

 

“Huh? Oh. Sorry,” apologized Jane.

 

“Maybe you should finish that coffee.”

 

“Yeah. I'll do that.” Jane drank her coffee, casting furtive and curious glances at a seemingly oblivious Luciel.

 

There wasn't really much conversation after that point. The three young women were busy eating and drinking. Daria could tell Jane was still in an odd mood, and she frequently caught Luciel looking out the window at the—now pouring—rain. After she finished her soup, Luciel sucked down the rest of her latte remarkably quickly.

 

“Well ladies, I guess I'll be seeing a lot more of you from now on. I hope you enjoy today's lovely weather.” Luciel stood up and untied her umbrella.

 

“Was that supposed to be sarcasm?” Jane quirked an eyebrow in asking.

 

“Actually, I love the rain. And it's quite romantic, don't you think?” With a sly grin, Luciel bid them goodbye with a little wave. She opened the door, opened her clear, vinyl umbrella, and walked away into the downpour.

 

Four minutes of oddly awkward silence stretched between the two friends. Fortunately, Helen Morgendorffer finished her phone call, and strode through the door to meet them.

 

“Sorry about that, girls. It took me a lot longer than I thought it would. Was the coffee good?”

 

“It was. In fact, we got a little more than coffee, didn't we Jane?”

 

“Sure did. A great deal on some ecstasy for our housewarming party, and a tip on an available apartment.”

 

Helen looked horrified at the mention of ecstasy, but quickly sorted out the joke.

 

“Well then, if we have a promising lead, maybe I should get my coffee to go. I'll be right back.”

 

Jane waited for Daria's mother to walk away before addressing her friend.

 

“Say Daria. Luciel? Lavender? Lily and Violet? You don't suppose....?”

 

“It's not really my place to suppose on this, Jane. And to be honest,” she said, turning to the young artist “I'd rather not talk about it at the moment.”

 

Jane looked upset—indeed, almost offended—at the way Daria had cut her off. And Daria instantly felt guilty for it. She could tell that Jane had had this on her mind for most of the time they were eating. It was like she was overly wary of the other women. Daria though couldn't bring herself to discuss it because she felt nervous and embarrassed. It wasn't brought up again.

 

* * *

 

 

 

The apartment took an eternity to find, and luckily Jane was in a better mood by the time they arrived. The place was tucked away on a side street. It was a narrow building; more tall than wide. Inside they found the building superintendent, who was just finishing up a tour of the unit in question. They spoke to him, found that the price was more than reasonable, and decided they should take a look. It was on the third floor, and one room looked out onto the street in front. Upon opening the door, they were greeted with warm neutral tones, and a pleasant blend of warm light from the bulbs along with the cooler light flooding in from outside.

 

“Wow,” Jane's astounded voice commented first. “This is actually really nice.”

 

“Well, it beats wondering for the first week if your new roommate is going to stab you in your sleep,” a reluctant Daria opined.

 

The building super's pained expression belied his ardor in convincing the girls to rent.

 

“Well, if you like this, wait until you see the bedroom,” he said.

 

“Wait.” Daria looked over at the man, who was awkwardly wringing his hands. “Bed _room_? As in singular?”

 

“Y-yes. This is a single bed, single bath unit. I'm afraid it's all that we have available.”

 

“What's the matter, Daria? Suddenly shy about sharing a bedroom with me?” Jane and her perfect, painted lips smirked at her. She was taunting her. And maybe, though Daria couldn't be sure, there was a hint of a dare in the sparkling, blue eyes she stared into.

 

“No. Not shy at all. I like the place. I say let's do it.”

 

“Great. You and I are officially roomies, amiga.”

 

Daria hadn't thought that smirk could get any wider.

 

It did.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again, all. Thank you for commenting, and for the kudos. I appreciate it. 
> 
> Can't promise a regular schedule on this, but rest assured that I like to finish what I start. See you next time.


	4. Drawn to Each Other

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Daria and Jane move in together, and face problems of both their present and past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while, huh? I do apologize. Life is pretty busy, like always. Slowly but surely we'll get there. Anyway, I brought back a favorite background character of mine. Her only audible line is a scream, and it sounds like almost like they cloned a Quinn scream for it. Personally, I always pictured her with more of a husky voice.
> 
> 1/20/16 - I just checked in on things, and apparently Ao3 obliterated all of my italics. Apologies to those who read this chapter before I noticed.

“Are you sure you can unpack the rest of this stuff by yourselves, girls?” Jake Morgendorffer asked as he set down a wooden table that was meant to host a television in the living room. 

 

“I’m sure we’ll be fine,” Daria insisted.

 

“You really...don’t need me…?” Jake asked as his face prepared for tears. 

 

Daria sighed and, against her better judgment, hugged her father. 

 

“It’s ok, Dad. I still need you. But it’s just luggage. I can manage.” 

 

Around her father’s shoulder she caught Jane’s eye as Jane was walking through the open door. Red lips hung open in shock. 

 

“Al-alright then.” Daria’s father held her tight for a moment and then broke away. “I’ll see you for Thanksgiving at least, right kiddo?” He sniffled. 

 

“Right, Dad.” 

 

Another sniffle.

 

“Ok. Bye, then.” He turned to go, and glanced at Jane in the doorway, who was still stunned. “Look out for her, will you, Jane?” He punctuated his request by resting a palm briefly on the girl’s shoulder before walking away down the hall. This seemed to snap Jane out of her stupor, and she proceeded to interrogate her friend’s evil double. 

 

“You mind telling me where you hid the body of my real best friend?”

 

“I don’t know. I probably hacked her up and hid her under the floorboards,” Daria answered, her eyes shifting sideways. 

 

“Seriously, though. What was that? Don’t tell me you’re actually going soft?” 

 

“I just didn’t want him bawling his eyes out or we’d never have gotten him out of here,” she said, eyes casting away from Jane’s. 

 

“Oh. Good thinking,” said Jane. She knew that Daria really had felt for her father in that moment, but for some reason decided that teasing her about it would be a bad idea. Instead she elected to redirect. “I’m hungry, but I don’t feel like going anywhere since we spent the afternoon hauling boxes. Why don’t we get delivery tonight?” 

 

“Fine by me. What’d you have in mind?”

 

“Uhhmm…” Jane considered for a moment. “Does Sapphron deliver?”

 

“I don’t think so. Maybe we should call?” 

 

Jane shrugged. 

 

“How very helpful of you, Jane. I’ll get the phone.” With that, Daria turned to start fishing around in the various boxes that were sitting in their living room. 

 

Daria’s being distracted gave Jane a moment to appreciate the day’s events so far. This was exactly what she’d hoped would happen. This was the next logical step in her life. She’d moved in with her best friend. And it felt great. Daria was going to be in her life all the time from now on, and there would be no more pining for her in the middle of her work sessions. She would have to remind herself to thank Trent whenever he got around to visiting. Unfortunately, in the course of her zoning out she hadn’t noticed Daria trying to get her attention until she literally stepped in front of her. 

 

“Earth to Jane!” 

 

“Huh?! Wha--oh. Sorry, Daria. I was...thinking about something,” Jane stammered out. 

 

“Alright, then. I called, and they don’t deliver, but Luciel is getting off of her shift soon. She agreed to bring us a pizza as her housewarming gift to us,” informed Daria. 

 

“Oh. That was...nice,” Jane said hesitantly. She didn’t dislike Luciel, but ever since the day they ran into her at the cafe she’d been uncomfortable with even the thought of her. 

 

“Luciel said she’d be here around 6:30. Could you go down to the front door to let her in?” 

 

“And where will you be?” Jane questioned.

 

“I’m going to take a shower. Manual labor tends to make one a little sweaty,” stated Daria. 

 

“Right. I’ll take care of it.” 

 

With a small nod, Daria turned to slip into the bathroom and closed the door. Jane, meanwhile, slumped against the arm of their couch. She couldn’t get her mind off of Luciel and the cafe scene. 

 

_ It has to be my imagination, right?  _ Jane thought back again to the people and the atmosphere.  _ Ok, maybe not  _ totally  _ my imagination. That means that it really was that kind of place, wasn’t it? A place geared toward people like that… _

 

Jane slumped further, at some point falling onto the couch itself. The idea of being around any of those people again, even Luciel, made Jane uneasy. It wasn’t that she was prejudiced, she told herself, even after a bad experience with Alison. But if not, then why? Unfortunately, she didn’t get to think for long. The intercom signaled someone arriving.

 

_ “Daria? Jane? I brought your food.”  _

 

“Oh. Here already,” Jane said aloud. She was about to buzz her in, but a thought occurred to her. She pressed the voice button. “It’s Jane. I’ll come let you in.” She snagged her keys and made her way downstairs. Sure enough, there was Luciel in the entryway, holding a few boxes of pizza and sides. She was even thoughtful enough to stop by somewhere to grab soda, evidenced by the plastic bag with the bottle sticking out. Upon noticing Jane, she turned and made an approximate wave with the bag hand. 

 

“Hey, Jane,” she said, stepping through the door after Jane opened it. “Where’s Daria?”

 

“Upstairs. She’s still in the shower.”

 

“Ah. Shame I didn’t get to congratulate her directly.”

 

“I’ll make sure to let her know,” Jane said evenly, trying to conceal her suddenly on-edge emotions. 

 

“I’d ask to be given the tour, but it’ll have to wait. I have a promise to keep with Lavender tonight.” 

 

“Actually, Luciel, I wanted to ask you about her. That...person...you mentioned to the waitress at the cafe. Were they going out? With Lavender, I mean?” Jane made a light fist and began to rub her paint-speckled fingers against her palm to keep her composure. 

 

Luciel smiled in that knowing way she tended to do. 

 

“If you’re asking whether she’s single, she’s not. She and her girlfriend were only having a bit of a spat. Happens to everyone, right?” 

 

“G-girlfriend?!” Jane choked. “You mean she really is…?” 

 

“A lesbian, yes.” 

 

“And her sister?” 

 

“Her too. You may have guessed by now, but she’s been with the other woman--Lily--who co-owns the cafe for some time now. Are you surprised? I didn’t think it would be a shock for you,” Luciel commented, shifting the pizza boxes to her other hand. 

 

“Why wouldn’t it be? It’s not every day that you run into a gay person. I know they’re not...rare, you know, but you can’t tell by looking.” 

 

“True, you can’t. And they certainly aren’t so rare that you didn’t run into one every time I served you both at Sapphron.” 

 

“You too?!” Jane asked, her eyes having widened in shock. 

 

“Yup. Me too.” 

 

“....oh.” Jane looked down. She was a little ashamed at how she’d spoken. She had just assumed that Luciel was straight. It occurred to her that maybe that was something people shouldn’t do.  _ Hell, come to think of it, didn’t I say just a few weeks ago that I possibly might be... _ “I’m...sorry if it seemed like I had an attitude or something about gay people.” 

 

“It’s alright, Jane. You don’t seem like a bigot, and I’m sure there’s something more behind your knee-jerk reaction. Maybe even more than you yourself realize,” Luciel replied in a noticeably patient tone. It felt like she probably had had similar discussions a lot, and it made Jane feel even worse. She was about to ask about what Luciel meant by ‘more’, but Daria chose that moment to make an appearance. 

 

“There you are. I was beginning to wonder if you’d absconded with our food,” said Daria to Jane. Then she turned. “We really appreciate you bringing us pizza, Luciel.”

 

“No problem, Daria. Just out of the shower, I see.”

 

“Gee, did the old, wet t-shirt and dripping hair give it away?” 

 

“Perhaps. Say, I hate to run, but I do have an engagement tonight. Lavender and Hualing invited me with them to a movie,” Luciel said, attempting to explain why she was virtually thrusting the boxes at Jane. 

 

“If you’re abandon us, at least leave us that soda,” Daria jabbed. 

 

“I intended to. Bye Daria. Later, Jane,” Luciel smiled that same smile at Jane as she turned on her heel and walked out. 

 

“Yeah...later…” Jane muttered. The burden of the new information weighed heavy on her. Guilt, most especially. 

“Why do you look like you just killed  Tommy Sherman all over again?” 

 

“Huh? Oh it’s just Luciel--” Jane froze. She suddenly had a moral dilemma. A decision to make.  _ Can I tell Daria? Should I?  _

 

“Jane?” Daria hovered, looking at her with deep concern. “Are you ok?” 

 

“Nothing. It’s nothing,” Jane replied. 

 

“Something happened between you and Luciel, didn’t it?” 

 

“What?! No! Nothing happened.” 

 

“Something  _ did _ happen. You’re acting like you’ve got some dirty secret. That and she essentially sprinted out of here.”

 

At that, for reasons she didn’t want to process, Jane’s patience snapped. 

 

“Look, Daria, just  _ drop it _ ok?!” 

 

“Fine, then.” She turned to ascend the stairs, then paused. “Are you coming?” 

 

“Yeah. Right behind you.” 

  
  
  
  


The two of them sat on the floor near the couch. For some reason the table felt as awkward as the silence between them. Neither had spoken to the other since Jane’s outburst in the lobby. The only audible sound in the apartment occurred when one of the girls took another slice from the pie. Then a slight fizzing as one poured another glass of soda. 

 

Jane looked at Daria. She was fixated on her food, but raised her eyes to meet Jane’s gaze. Both looked away. 

 

This sort of behavior repeated itself for an indeterminate span of time, until there was a very loud knock at the door. Jane sighed and rolled her eyes.

 

“Probably the guy from the office again. Who’s there?” she shouted, the apathy in her voice evident. 

 

A mellow voice answered: 

 

“Neighbor. Came to welcome you to the floor.”

 

“Jane, dear,” Daria began. Her tone made it clear that she was still a little put out from earlier. “Would you be so kind as to get the door?” 

 

“I live to serve,” Jane retorted. She slowly pushed herself off the floor and trudged over the front door. She undid the lock and opened their apartment to someone neither would have expected to see again. She hadn’t changed at all in the year-and-a-half since they’d last been in the same room. Long, blonde hair, those pants with the hole in one leg and the flower on the other, and always that same jacket which Jane and Daria both knew to have a red skull on the back. 

 

“Welcome neighbo--! ...Jane Lane? Is that you?” She peered around the scrawny artist in red to see behind. “And Daria Morgendorffer, too?” 

 

“I’m a little surprised you remember our names,” stated Jane.

 

“Who could forget the two biggest misfits in a boring place like Lawndale?” was the response.

 

“Misfits, eh? And this coming from the school burnout?”

 

“I mean that in a positive way. You two were the least boring people in the entire city, I think.” 

 

“Perhaps that’s why we were also the most bored,” Daria chimed in, who had come up behind Jane without warning a placed a hand on her shoulder. The resulting jump made their guest smile.

 

“I guess that makes sense, in a way. Are you going to invite me in or just leave me standing here with a tray of brownies?” 

 

“I suppose you can come in,” Jane responded, stepping aside and shutting the door behind the girl. “How’ve you been, Jennifer?” 

 

“Just Jen,” she said with a shrug. 

 

“Was that your response to my question, or you asking us to call you Jen?” Jane noticed Daria quirk an eyebrow at the same time as she did. 

 

“It was both.” 

 

Jennifer Berns, a rather odd girl with whom the two had seldom interacted, seemed to have maintained her mild aura of disinterest just as she had with her clothing. She set the metal tray of brownies she’d been carrying down on the kitchen counter. 

 

“So Daria, Jane, does one of you go to college out here?” Jen asked.

 

“We both do,” replied Jane. 

 

“Jane goes to BFAC, and I go to Raft,” Daria added. 

 

“What do you know? I go to Raft, too.” Jen emphasized her statement with a jerk of her thumb towards her own torso. “I worked pretty hard to get in. Must have been easy for you though, Daria.” 

 

“Not as much as you might think,” she argued. 

 

Jane had to look twice, but she could swear Daria was blushing bit.  _ Wait, no, there’s no way she would. It takes a lot to make her blush. I’m imaging things, _ Jane insisted to herself. 

 

“So, I know you two spent a lot of time at Pizza King in high school. Have you two found a pizza place in town you like? Because if not, I have just the place,” Jen hinted. 

 

“We like this place called Sapphron.” Jane pointed to the half-empty pizza box left on the floor. 

 

“That’s exactly the place I meant!” 

 

Daria and Jane cast sideways glances at each other, their thoughts synchronized as a realization solidified.  _ A girl with a skull jacket told Luciel about a vacant apartment. This is too crazy. _

 

“Oh, and,” Jen continued. “There’s this really cool waitress there. She’s got blue hair with a killer cut, and awesome piercings.”

 

“Her name is Luciel. She was here at the building earlier. You just missed her,” Jane informed her. 

 

“What!? Really? Aww, man! I wish I’d have come sooner.” Jen’s face was disappointed. “I wanted to ask about her piercings, maybe see if she knows a good tattoo parlor.” 

 

Something tickled the back of Jane’s mind at this moment. She was getting really sick of that happening, but this day just wouldn’t let it go. So she elected to ignore it and make a random stab at shifting the conversation.

 

“So Jen, you were always hanging around that Bob guy. You looked pretty close last I saw. Are you two an item?”  _ Perfect. Boyfriend talk is an easy redirect.  _

 

At hearing Bob’s name, however, Jen’s face slowly drooped from what almost had been pleasant brightness to one of pain and deep sadness. 

 

_ Swing and a miss. _

 

“He...he was my best friend since freshman year. Then he told me he had feelings for me, and we went out for almost eight months, but by the end of summer after senior year we broke up. It was a really bad breakup, too. I haven’t talked to him since then.” She looked at the floor. That wound hadn’t healed yet. “I just...couldn’t return his feelings. By the end, I didn’t even want to.”

 

“Oh…” was all Jane managed. 

 

“I sort of understand what that feels like,” Daria attempted in a slow tone. “When Jane and I had a falling out for a while, it was terrible. Every time we failed to patch things up it was like being stabbed in the heart.” 

 

“Yeah,” Jane offered. “It was the worst time I can remember. I’d take any other awkward phase of my life over that again.” 

 

“Really? How about being “The Tiger Lady” again?” Daria suggested, smirking. 

 

“You remind me of that every time I bring up changing my hair. Are you ever going to let me live that down, Morgendorffer?” Jane returned the smirking face as she looked fondly at her friend. 

 

“When you announce your inevitable career transition from painter and sculptor to go-go dancer, I’ll clam up and stand right next to you while you let a stylist have her way with your hair. In the meantime, I intend to prevent you from making any such grievous mistakes with produce-themed hair dye.”  

 

It was back. The coldness from before thawed, and the two friends were once again connecting with each other. Each could see it in the other’s smile. They shared that acknowledgment in a glance for half a moment, then returned attention to Jen. The blonde had come out of her temporary depression and was looking at the two confusedly, as if noticing something for the first time. And then she abruptly burst into laughter. It was the intense kind that typically follows on the tail of fear or sadness, but it was also warm and bright in a way neither of the others had ever conceived of her being able to produce. 

 

“I understand it now!” she squeezed out, trying to calm the laughing fit. “You two are so close, and you can joke with each other so well. It’s no wonder that rumor was spread.” 

 

“Which rumor do you mean? The one about us being masked vigilantes?” Jane wondered, recalling her incredulity at Brittany’s insistence that it hadn’t been Kevin who started it. 

 

“No, no. The one about you two being a couple.” 

 

All the breath left Jane’s lungs. She looked to Daria, hoping for a save of some kind, but Daria was just as taken aback as Jane. And this time, she was  _ definitely _ blushing. Without some kind of humorous or even caustic remark to latch onto, Jane was falling backward in time. She heard Alison’s voice in her brain once more, asserting that Jane was into women. An imagined  _ I told you so _ in a sneer remained as she snapped back to the present. 

 

“You...you never heard that one, did you?” Jen guessed. “I uh...didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just that you two give off a certain vibe when you’re together. I hope you’re not, like, offended.” 

 

“No. Not at all,” Daria returned with a voice refound. “It just took us by surprise. Right, Jane?” 

 

“Uh, yeah. Bit of a shock.” 

 

“Uhm...ok. Sorry anyway. So I’m...gonna go. I’ll see you two around?” Jen asked, nervous. 

 

“Sure,” Daria confirmed. “Stop by whenever you feel like it.” 

 

This stopped Jen for a second as she opened the door. 

 

“Sarcasm?” she questioned.

 

“Not entirely.” 

 

Jen’s smile was tiny, and still awkward, but genuine. She backed out the door and closed it softly, leaving the two roommates alone. There were requests muttered offhand about unpacking this or that, so Jane and Daria silently separated and resumed their work toward putting their home in order. Jane unpacked the bed spreads, and set the box springs of their mattresses in place before awkwardly throwing each down on top with a loud  _ thunk! _ It was a small room, obviously intended for a solitary bed of a larger size and little else, so the two mattresses were -- by necessity of fitting two small tables inside that were to serve as pseudo-desks -- virtually pushed up against each other. There was a foot at best between them, and that was a generous assumption. It looked like even less once the bedding was fitted over. 

 

Seeing her task for the night complete, Jane wandered blankly to the shower. Normally hot water and solitude meant time to think, but not tonight. Instead she washed, redressed herself in pajamas, then went straight to bed and attempted to sketch. It was one of those nights where nothing she did seemed any good. Daria shuffled in somewhere during that time, settling in to read a book. Before she knew it, Jane had put her sketchpad down and was watching her best friend read. 

 

“Jane?” 

 

“Hm? Oh, yeah, what?” 

 

“Could you turn the light off?” 

 

“Sure.” Jane put the light out and returned to bed, but wasn’t inclined to sleep. “Hey, Daria?”

 

“Yes, Jane?” 

 

“Is it just me or...or have we fallen into a particular kind of social group without meaning to?” Jane wondered. 

 

“I’m not sure where you’re going with this.” 

 

“Come on, Daria. Don’t tell me you don’t see it?” 

 

A sound in the dark. Daria sat up in bed, barely visible in the light from the window. 

 

“What am I supposed to see that’s so important?” 

 

“Luciel, the women from the coffee place? It all goes back to them. For some reason, everyone we’ve met lately is--!”

 

“I know that!” 

 

“What?” The word tumbled out of Jane in shock. 

 

“I know. It was hard to miss. And it’s new for me, too, but that doesn’t mean I’m uncomfortable around them. I’m surprised that you are,” Daria accused. 

 

“I’m not, I just…” Jane hesitated. “...Ok, maybe I am a little. It’s just that everyone we meet seems to be…”

 

“Gay?” Daria finished. 

 

“Yeah. Why is that?” 

 

“Boston is a large city. It’s the kind of place where people are more free to do what they want without the constant, nagging fear that the entire town will harass them. Don’t you think that’s the most likely explanation?” proposed Daria.

 

“...maybe.”

 

“And maybe this is bringing Alison to mind, and that’s why you’re uncomfortable.”  Daria turned to sleep on her side and pulled her blankets back up. “I’m going to sleep. Good night.” 

 

“Good night…” Jane flopped onto her back and stared up at her... _ their _ ceiling.  _ I thought I was over what happened with Alison. I was sure of it. But...I think this is something else. Daria and I suddenly seem to attract lots of gay people. It’s like we’re magnetized or something.  _

 

_ “I’m sure there’s something more behind your knee-jerk reaction. Maybe even more than you yourself realize.” _

 

_ More…?  _ pondered Jane. 

 

_ “It’s no wonder that rumor was spread. The one about you two being a couple.”  _

 

Jane rolled over, looking across the darkness at Daria’s sleeping silhouette.

 

_...that’s not possible. _

 

“Couldn’t be…” she breathed into the silence. 

 


End file.
